{"id":62910,"date":"2025-09-11T00:01:18","date_gmt":"2025-09-11T06:01:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=62910"},"modified":"2026-04-05T14:34:29","modified_gmt":"2026-04-05T20:34:29","slug":"pioche-food-group-fruitland-new-mexico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=62910","title":{"rendered":"PIOCHE FOOD GROUP – Fruitland, New Mexico"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Wonderful Pioche Family: Chef Justin, Sister Tia and Mom Janice<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As my friend and retired restaurateur Tom Hamilton and I watched the Pioche family prepare a meal for some twelve guests, we both marveled at the quiet efficiency of the kitchen.\u00a0 A veteran of decades leading highly-regarded kitchens, Tom related that most kitchens are a loud and frenetic hive of activity amped up to high volume.\u00a0 Communication among kitchen staff is an absolute must to ensure synchronicity, especially when multiple courses are being prepared.\u00a0 Instead of the characteristic chaotic din of most restaurant kitchens, the Pioche family worked in harmony, focusing on the quiet, efficient, and harmonious execution of the multitudinous tasks involved in the preparation of\u00a0 a nine-course meal.<\/p>\n

It probably shouldn’t have surprised us so much that the Pioche family worked in such consonance.\u00a0 After all, a traditional\u00a0traditional Navajo (Din\u00e9) approach to family and communication is deeply rooted in the concept of K’\u00e9<\/em>, a system of kinship and connectivity. This approach emphasizes respect and collective responsibility.\u00a0 While Chef Justin Pioche is\u00a0 the marquee name, he deflects praise and credits his sister Tia and mom Janice.\u00a0 He’ll tell you he can’t operate without them and he’s not just being modest.\u00a0 Like concordant instruments in an orchestra, each family member performs specific tasks, the end result being a wonderful meal that absolutely wows guests.<\/p>\n

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Chef Justin Describes One of the Dishes We Were Enjoyed<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You won’t find the Pioche family operating out of a permanent brick-and-mortar location.\u00a0 It wouldn’t work in the Farmington area where the family is based.\u00a0 Though Farmington is New Mexico’s sixth most populous city, it’s still basically a low middle-class, meat and potatoes region that might not fully grasp the Pioche culinary experience.\u00a0 \u00a0That experience is centered around LorAmy, a pop-up dining series in which Chef Justin presents a varying seasonal menu (usually around eight courses), inspired by his Navajo culture. Unexpected palate-pleasing twists and turns titillate and wow diners\u00a0 as the Pioche family puts their hearts on a plate.\u00a0 Whether preparing Navajo tacos at the Santa Fe Indian Market or feeding dignitaries at an event sponsored by the Native American Culinary Association<\/a><\/strong>, the \u00a0Pioche Family always gives their all.<\/p>\n

When Tom and I were discussing great restaurant meals in the Land of Enchantment, I told him about the LorAmy concept.\u00a0 (LorAmy is a combination of the chef\u2019s grandmothers\u2019 first names, fitting considering the matrilineal traditions of the Navajo).\u00a0 It intrigued Tom so much that he called his brother Greg and suggested we work together to plan a LorAmy event.\u00a0 Greg graciously agreed to host the event at his beautiful Farmington home. Our gregarious host seated me next to Tom on the bar overlooking Greg’s spectacular kitchen.\u00a0 The “best seat in the house” gave us ample opportunity to observe the family in action and to ask questions.<\/p>\n

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Chef Justin Pioche Deftly Puts the Finishing Processes to One Of The Courses We Enjoyed<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We learned, for example, that the name “Pioche<\/em>” is actually French and translates to “pickaxe<\/em>.”\u00a0 \u00a0As Janice explained, one of the family grandmothers was captured by French settlers.\u00a0 Children born to that grandmother were christened with the Pioche name.\u00a0 Imagery on the shirts worn by the family are replete with symbolism expressing their heritage and faith.\u00a0 Formed into a cross on the shirt are a pickaxe and a chef’s knife.\u00a0 Chef Justin explained that the three-sided frame around that cross represents the three members of the Pioche Food Group: himself, his sister and his mother.\u00a0 The three sides also represent the Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.\u00a0 Christian faith is very important to the family.\u00a0 Every LorAmy meal begins with Chef Justin leading a prayer of thanksgiving and praise.<\/p>\n

In 2023, Chef Justin was a finalist for the James Beard Foundation’s “Best Chef – Southwest” honor.\u00a0 Though he did not win the award, he gave the culinary world notice that his unique approach to food inspired by and deeply-rooted in his Navajo heritage is going places.\u00a0 Observing his beautifully plated creations will probably lead you to question all the stereotypes you may have had about Navajo cuisine.\u00a0 You won’t, for example, see fry bread or mutton on a plate.\u00a0 You might, however, see caviar, bok choy and freeze-dried roses.\u00a0 That’s Chef Justin being creative, sometimes employing molecular gastronomy techniques to maximize a dishes flavor profile.\u00a0 You’ll also note that many of the indigenous flavors he uses are not to be found in the Southwest.\u00a0 The Pioche Food Group sources ingredients from Oregon, Minnesota and even Canada for some of their creations.<\/p>\n

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Chef Justin and Tia Preparing Deliciousness<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Chef Justin clarifies that unlike some chefs (three-time James Beard Foundation winner Sean Sherman<\/strong><\/a>, for example), his menus are not intended to employ solely ingredients available to indigenous people before the colonization of the Americas.\u00a0 Instead, the studious chef pursues his passion by researching ingredients and techniques that will help him optimize the flavor profiles of every dish.\u00a0 His talents are continuously evolving and growing.\u00a0 In both LorAmy events I have attended, he changed the menu significantly while staying true to his profound respect for his people’s history.\u00a0 Chef Justin shares that history while introducing specific dishes.\u00a0 Should a dish include peaches, you’ll learn of the atrocities visited upon the Navajo people by Kit Carson whose “scorched earth” campaign resulted in the burning down of over 4,000 peach trees across the Navajo stronghold.<\/p>\n

It might surprise you to learn that the seeds of Chef Justin’s culinary career germinated with a simple dish of fry bread and fresh peas prepared by his grandmother.\u00a0 He has never forgotten the impression that uncomplicated dish left on his taste buds and memory.\u00a0 It inspired him to pursue a culinary degree from the Arizona Culinary Institute followed by years of working under some of the most highly regarded chefs in Arizona’s finest restaurants.\u00a0 He and sister Tia have also “staged” (an unpaid apprenticeship or working trial in a different kitchen to learn new techniques, cuisines and operational styles) at some of the country’s best restaurants.\u00a0 Tia and Justin, for example, staged at both Chicago’s Alinea<\/strong><\/a>, one of the country’s few three Michelin star restaurants and Ever<\/strong><\/a>, a two-star Michelin recipient.\u00a0 Justin also staged at Noma<\/strong><\/a> in Copenhagen, Denmark.\u00a0 Noma was rated the best restaurant in the world five times<\/strong>, in the years\u00a02010, 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2021 by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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Chef Justin Uses Frozen Nitrogen on a Dozen Long-Stemmed Roses<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Pioche family is so passionate about the provenance of the ingredients they use that they partner with Navajo-Ethno Agriculture<\/strong><\/a>, ahands-on tribal community educational farm in the Four Corners region of the Navajo Reservation. The farm is committed to preserving traditional Navajo crops and techniques.\u00a0 Chef Justin is\u00a0 very active in the farm’s teaching environment, passing what is known about culture, history and heritage foods.\u00a0 Different schools are invited to the farm where students learn about agriculture, Navajo foods, how those foods are cultivated and more.\u00a0 The school not only imparts agricultural knowledge, it imbues students with a sense of traditional Navajo pride.<\/p>\n

Chef Justin recognizes that a lot of Navajo land is vastly underutilized or not utilized at all.\u00a0 He calls it “feeding my soul” when he teaches youth on the farm.\u00a0 His hopes are to eventually own and operate a Pioche Food Group Farm where he can hire Navajos and teach them to farm.\u00a0 When the family arrived for the event at Greg’s home, they were noticeably tired, having spent the previous days on the farm.\u00a0 Despite a grueling work schedule, they use their platform for the betterment of their community.\u00a0 Mom Janice can’t help but beam at her very accomplished brood.<\/p>\n

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Panna Cotta<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After Chef Justin benediction, our first “course” was a glass of D\u00e9\u00e9h<\/strong><\/em> (Tea) made from what is essentially a “weed” that’s abundant wherever there is a good source of water, which commonly includes the runoff areas from roads during monsoon season.\u00a0 It grows wild on the Pioche’s yard.\u00a0 \u00a0The acerbic flavor of the tea is ameliorated by melon balls, sweet ash and sumac.\u00a0 Yes, sumac.\u00a0 Navajo sumac is loosely related to the sumac used to season a lot of the Middle-Eastern food with which you might be familiar.\u00a0 Sumac berries, rich in vitamin C, are used by Navajo people for food, medicine and dyes.<\/p>\n

The D\u00e9\u00e9h may not have been everyone’s “cup of tea” (play on words here), but the second course more than made up for it.\u00a0 That course was a beautifully plated rectangular bowl of panna cotta<\/strong><\/em>.\u00a0 Most of us recognize panna cotta as an Italian dessert with a velvety-smooth and creamy texture.\u00a0 Literally meaning “cooked cream,” panna cotta can also be a savory dish as the Pioche’s version was.\u00a0 The cooked cream was essentially the essence of sweet potato with notes of turnip.\u00a0 Anaheim and Guajillo chiles added slightly fruity, piquant notes though this dish could hardly be called “hot” (even my chile avoiding bride enjoyed it).\u00a0 Plated with the panna cotta were sunchoke chips and heirloom kumquats.<\/p>\n

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Chard Salad<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It became readily apparent to guests that plating is an art at the Pioche experience.\u00a0 Nothing is haphazardly thrown together on a plate.\u00a0 Chef Justin told me the plating is in keeping with the Navajo concept of \u201cH\u00f3zh\u00f3,”<\/em> a Navajo word that means \u201cwalking in beauty\u201d (as Janice and Tia certainly do) \u2013 or living in a manner that strives to create and maintain balance, harmony, beauty and order.\u00a0 Janice elaborated that “Chef Justin was taught from his elders that Hozho is actually the balance between good and bad.\u00a0 \u00a0We truly walk in harmony and beauty when we recognize the good and bad in life<\/em>.”\u00a0 Beauty and order are evident in every plate.\u00a0 Even on a relatively simple chard salad (dandelion, beets, fruit, Manchego, apple cider dressing).\u00a0 Chef Justin introduced the salad as the “healthy portion of the meal.”\u00a0 Healthy certainly doesn’t mean ordinary.\u00a0 This was a delicious salad.<\/p>\n

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Foie Gras Done Two Ways<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At the end of the meal, Janice polled guests to determine what their favorite dish of the event was.\u00a0 For many of us, the most transformative dish was the foie gras<\/strong><\/em> done two ways.\u00a0 Chef Justin introduced the dish as “Liver and Onions.”\u00a0 \u00a0Our host Greg actually generously donated the foie grass (for which we owe him copious thanks).\u00a0 My favorite preparation style has long been as a p\u00e2t\u00e9 where its rich, buttery and delicate flavor and distinctive fatty consistency shine.\u00a0 The mousse-like p\u00e2t\u00e9 was superb!\u00a0 It’s much too rich to enjoy in copious portions, but it impressed itself on our taste buds for a long time.\u00a0 Tia’s contribution to this plate was an outstanding seared foie gras topped with fennel.\u00a0 Peaches, long the agricultural pride of the Navajo nation, provided a wonderful sweet-tangy counterbalance to the foie gras.<\/p>\n

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The Best Mushroom Soup Ever!!!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As a young sprout whose teeth resembled a winding road, I wore braces for two years.\u00a0 That meant eating a lot of soup every time my sadist…er, orthodontist tightened those torturous braces.\u00a0 The experience heightened my appreciation for two soups in particular:\u00a0 cream of mushroom and butternut squash.\u00a0 \u00a0My tastes then were for Campbell’s.\u00a0 Today those salt-bombs would never grace our kitchen.\u00a0 Instead, sophisticated soups are a passion.\u00a0 Chef Justin soup<\/strong><\/em> (chanterelle, butternut, truffle, caviar) is in rarefied air as one of the very best soups I’ve ever had.\u00a0 This soup is laden with umami, the so-called “fifth taste.”\u00a0 It’s sheer genius, the combination of ingredients and flavor profiles that made this grown man swoon.<\/p>\n

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Ocean Trout and Bok Choy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Tom was most excited about the ocean trout<\/em><\/strong> served with bok choy.\u00a0 It’s one of his favorite delicacies of the sea, one he enjoys every time he visits New Orleans.\u00a0 Ocean trout looks (a rosy pink-orange flesh) and tastes similar to salmon though it’s far less oily.\u00a0 It’s sweeter and milder than salmon with a delicate, buttery texture.\u00a0 Chef Justin prepares this rich, succulent and clean flavored fish with ginger and lime though not so much that it takes away from the briny qualities of the fish.\u00a0 Charred bok choy was a surprising though wholly complimentary, providing flavors (peppery, grassy, spinach-like) that work with ocean trout.<\/p>\n

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“Bread”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Few meals would be complete without a bread<\/strong><\/em> (B\u00e1\u00e1h) course.\u00a0 Though she doesn’t consider herself a baker, Tia’s bread courses are always a hit at LorAmy events.\u00a0 This isn’t the horno-baked bread or fry bread you might associate with indigenous peoples.\u00a0 For this event’s bread course, Tia created a circular blue corn bread plated with a smear of pine nut spread and a smaller streak of corn koji.\u00a0 \u00a0The pine nut spread is\u00a0 sweet with a subtle hint of pine that will transport your mind and taste buds to New Mexico\u2019s pine forests.\u00a0 The corn koji is a bit more challenging to explain.\u00a0 Koji is defined as “any grain that has been inoculated with the mold Aspergillus oryzae.”\u00a0 Essentially, koji can be made from almost any grain.\u00a0 Koji is a revolutionary approach to using grain molds to create absolute deliciousness.\u00a0 \u00a0The Pioche’s corn koji exemplifies the chef’s creativity and constant study.<\/p>\n

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Deer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Our final savory course was deer.\u00a0 Chef Justin explained that the deer<\/strong><\/em> was shot with a bow and arrow by a relative.\u00a0 More than any deer I’ve had, this deer was tender and wholly lacking in the gaminess often associated with deer.\u00a0 One of Greg’s friends, who admitted to having subsisted on deer for several years, claimed this was the best deer he’s ever had.\u00a0 That’s quite an endorsement.\u00a0 Topped with a huckleberry demi, the deer\u00a0 inherited the berry’s complex sweet-tart flavor with earthy and herbal notes.\u00a0 Its preparation was much like a very tender pot roast, rendering the deer tender enough to cut with a fork.\u00a0 The deer was served with a parsnip mash that had me asking why such a mash hasn’t replaced the ubiquitous mashed potatoes.<\/p>\n

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Sweet Adieu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Fittingly, our final course was called Sweet Adieu<\/strong><\/em>.\u00a0 Chef Justin likened it to a\u00a0 sort of bread pudding, but it was wholly unlike any bread pudding of my recollection (and I’m somewhat of a bread pudding aficionado).\u00a0 \u00a0This picturesque tart is chocolate two ways–in cake form and as a drizzle–topped with macerated strawberries.\u00a0 While not quite as sweet as Janice and Tia (what could possibly be?), this sweet end to a fabulous meal was a complex confection which won over ever heart in the place.\u00a0 Chef Justin used frozen nitrogen on a dozen long-stem roses as an entertaining and edible effect.\u00a0 The application of nitrogen was reminiscent of London on a foggy day.\u00a0 It brought oohs and aahs to our tables, but not as much as actually eating this decadent dessert.<\/p>\n

When dinner concluded, guests lingered–not quite in postprandial topor, but in pure contentment at having enjoyed world-class dining and hospitality.\u00a0 \u00a0The Pioche family was characteristically warm and open as we showered them with praise and awe.\u00a0 If you would like to experience this uniquely wonderful experience, make sure to follow the Pioche Food Group<\/strong><\/a> on its Facebook page.\u00a0 When an event is announced, make reservations quickly to ensure a meal you’ll long remember.<\/p>\n

LorAmy Event: 10 February 2023<\/strong><\/h1>\n
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James Beard Best Chef – Southwest Nominee Justin Pioche<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Having devoured all the Tony and Ann Hillerman books centered in and around the Navajo Nation, I thought I knew quite a bit about the Din\u00e9.\u00a0 That was until Brian Schwartz<\/strong><\/a>, an extraordinary food writer from Oklahoma, offered me his ticket to an event showcasing the talents of James Beard Best Chef – Southwest nominee Justin Pioche.\u00a0 I immediately took stock of just what I knew about Navajo culinary traditions.\u00a0 I knew the Navajo are widely credited with the “invention” of fry bread during their brutal internment at Bosque Redondo.\u00a0 History taught me that lush Navajo peach orchards were destroyed during a scorched earth campaign by Kit Carson.\u00a0 I knew from personal experience that Navajo cooks prepare the best mutton I’ve ever had.\u00a0 I also surmised that Navajo cooks and chefs held very true to culinary traditions and ingredients, many of which were adopted by New Mexicans.<\/p>\n

>My lack of knowledge of Navajo culinary culture and traditions having been revealed, I lept at Brian’s kind invitation.\u00a0 Besides the curious appellation “LorAmy” just beckoned for further discovery.\u00a0 Neither a Navajo culinary tradition or a culinary term, LorAmy is a Farmington pop-up dining series from\u00a0 Din\u00e9 chef Justin Pioche of the Pioche Food Group<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 The name is a combination of the chef’s grandmothers\u2019 first names, fitting considering the matrilineal traditions of the Navajo. Lorene is his mother’s mother’s name and Amy is his father’s mother’s name.\u00a0 At a table set for twelve, Chef Justin presents a varying seasonal menu (usually around 8 courses), inspired by his Navajo culture. Unexpected palate-pleasing twists and turns are sure to please you as the Pioche family puts their hearts on a plate.<\/p>\n

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The Sparkling Tia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Family is at the heart of the Pioche Food Group, an innovative Navajo owned and operated food service company.\u00a0 At the Chef’s right hand is his baby sister, the effervescent and beautiful Tia.\u00a0 She’s the face of the the Pioche Food Group, the front-of-the-house personality who orchestrates each events’ proceedings.\u00a0 She describes her relationship with her big brother as “best friend, room mate, business partner and co-conspirator<\/em>.”\u00a0\u00a0 Naabeeh\u00f3 s\u00e1anii<\/em> (Navajo women) are the center of the family, the keepers of wisdom and conservators of ancestral teachings. This would become increasingly obvious to me during the evening as I was seated with three of Chef Justin and Tia’s aunts and shared a delightful conversation with their mother Janice, youthful looking enough to pass for their sister.<\/p>\n

No strangers to adversity or to surmounting challenges, the Pioche family lived in Phoenix in an east-facing apartment with no air conditioning.\u00a0 Tia credits their dirt poor existence with their humility and resilience.\u00a0 When the family returned to the Farmington area, learning to cook became a necessity for Justin. Both parents worked, so when he came home from school, he would make simple meals for his younger siblings.\u00a0 He began his culinary career at 17, working at Francisca’s, a Mexican restaurant in Farmington. After a demotivating experience at the Central New Mexico Community College, Justin almost gave up on pursuing a career as a chef.\u00a0 Fortunately Janice continued to steer him in the direction of a degree in culinary arts from the Arizona Culinary Institute in Scottsdale.<\/p>\n

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Chef Justin Pioche and his Beautiful Sister Tia Introduce The Night’s Proceedings (One of Their Aunts in Forefront)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After graduating in 2014, Justin started what would become a burgeoning culinary career that will certainly not culminate with being nominated for a prestigious James Beard award. In fine dining restaurants helmed by celebrated\u00a0 chefs Beau MacMillan and Kevin Binkley, he was inspired to innovate while learning the business aspects of restaurant management.\u00a0 Chef Binkley emphasized “everything on the plate should serve a purpose, and not just be there for aesthetics<\/em>,” a lesson took to heart. \u00a0 Moving back to Upper Fruitland, he worked at chain restaurants in Farmington, a disheartening experience which didn’t stretch his talents.\u00a0 Offered an opportunity to take an excursion to Israel, Justin started hosting pop-up dinners to raise money for his trip.\u00a0 Upon his return, he and Tia decided to continue hosting pop-up dinners in the Four Corners area.\u00a0 Thus the Pioche Food Group was born.<\/p>\n

In addition to periodic pop-up dinners, The Pioche Food Group owns and operates a food truck.\u00a0 Four corners locals at our table shared that it’s the very best food truck in the Farmington area and–in at least three cases–was the reason some of those locals signed up for the LorAmy event.\u00a0 Within the vast expanse of the\u00a0 Navajo Nation are two farms in which Justin works and innovates, developing new ways to grow crops consistent with Navajo foodways. He periodically invites high school students work on the farm to learn these farming techniques. At other times, he takes promising students to Phoenix and mentors them in “fine dining” techniques. He recruited one group of students to help prepare a charity dinner for hundreds of guests. Justin champions the\u00a0 Careers through Culinary Arts Program<\/strong><\/a> (C-CAP), a workforce development nonprofit that provides underserved teens a pathway to success.<\/p>\n

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Menu for the LorAmy Event<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The exclusive LorAmy Valentine’s Day Dining Experience I attended took place on February 10th at the Juniper Coffee & Eatery<\/strong><\/a> on College Blvd.\u00a0 Juniper is itself a Native owned restaurant earning acclaim.\u00a0 I was immediately smitten by the charming Tia who greeted me at the door.\u00a0 In that I was the only unaccompanied guest, she seated me next to her three aunts and one uncle.\u00a0 As is usually the case when you’re seated at a community table with people you don’t know, conversation was initially guarded and mostly of the small-talk variety.\u00a0 It wasn’t long before the ice was broken and we laughed like long-lost friends.\u00a0 Justin’s and Tia’s aunts regaled me with stories of their talented nephew and beautiful niece.\u00a0 They gave me a better education about Navajo culture than Tony and Ann Hillerman have.<\/p>\n

Each place setting on the table was resplendent with generously poured champagne flutes\u00a0 courtesy of Wines of the San Juan<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 For those of us who don’t imbibe adult beverages, sparkling cider and water were provided.\u00a0 Flutes and glasses were faithfully replenished throughout the evening along with an introduction of wines paired with each dish.\u00a0 Lit candles were further illuminated by unique glass candle holders reminiscent of major league baseball’s commissioner’s trophy.\u00a0 A single heart-shaped gelee (a French term for a jelly-like food) was placed on a small glass platform.\u00a0 Justin and Tia introduced the evenings proceedings followed by Justin delivering a blessing.<\/p>\n

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Sparkling Cider and Water for Me; Wines From the San Juan<\/strong><\/a> For Other Guests<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Our first course was a Navajo tea<\/strong><\/em> made with chrysanthemum and maple sugar.\u00a0 Regular readers might know that tea in all its forms and manifestations is the only “food” I don’t like, but I was determined to drink it all even if it meant one big swig.\u00a0 Thankfully, that single gelee was intended as a palate cleanser after drinking down the tea.\u00a0 As tea goes, it wasn’t bad, but I don’t believe I’ll be giving up my beverage of choice (water) any time soon.<\/p>\n

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Beet Salad<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Our second course was a beet salad<\/strong><\/em> (Mountain Rose apples, basil, radish, strawberry, pine nut vinaigrette).\u00a0 The Mountain Rose apples, a unique heirloom variety grown only in the Hood River Valley of Oregon, surprised everyone at our table.\u00a0 We all wondered if they had been doctored to give them their unique coloring, a shade of red-pink blush.\u00a0 Imbued with the aroma of strawberries and a slightly sweet and mildly tart flavor, they were a huge hit.\u00a0 So were the earthy beets with their pronounced purplish-red coloring and floral flavor with a hint of sweetness.\u00a0 As with every plate with which we were presented, there was no one ingredient that didn’t serve a purpose and that didn’t delight our taste buds.<\/p>\n

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Three Sisters<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Justin explained the importance of the three sisters (corn, squash and bean) to the Navajo culture, enlightening us on symbiotic growing methods that bring out the best in all three when planted together.\u00a0 Growing tall and lush, the corn plant shields low-lying squash from the hot sun.\u00a0 In honor of that culinary triumvirate, his next course was fittingly called Three Sisters<\/strong><\/em> (corn and bean ragout, squash blossom, amaranth, sunflower oil).\u00a0 Employing molecular gastronomy techniques, Justin transformed the liquefied sunflower oil into a fine, powdery form.\u00a0 That was just one of several surprises.\u00a0 The squash blossom was filled with a corn and bean ragout that showcased all three sisters working deliciously together.\u00a0 For me, the corn niblets were very reminiscent of corn steamed in an horno.<\/p>\n

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Chanterelle Tart<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Reminiscent of a Georgia O’Keefe painting of flowers (without the sensuality) is the chanterelle tart<\/strong><\/em> (foie gras, black trumpets, nasturtiums, mandarin quats, thyme).\u00a0 Using the term umami to describe foods with mushrooms is probably cliche, but in this case so very accurate.\u00a0 Foie gras has a “beefy” rich and creamy flavor that pairs magnificently with chanterelles.\u00a0 Among mushrooms, chanterelles have a unique flavor in that they have discernible fruity notes and an aroma similar to apricots.\u00a0 Tia, whose main interests are in the hospitality side, baked the crusty tart.\u00a0 Nasturtiums are not only beautiful flowers, they actually possess a light peppery flavor.<\/p>\n

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Sunchoke & Chips<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Although everyone at our table enjoyed every course, perhaps the one course eliciting the most enthusiasm was the sunchoke and chips<\/strong><\/em> (kale, prosciutto, hazelnut raisins).\u00a0 Only a few of us had ever had sunchokes in any manner.\u00a0 Also known as Jerusalem Artichokes (even though they’re neither from Jerusalem or from the artichoke family), sunchokes are actually the root of a species of sunflower plant which grows in New England.\u00a0 When baked into chips, they have an addictive, slightly sweet and earthy flavor.\u00a0 Sunchokes do not<\/u> store starch.\u00a0 As such, they do not impact the body’s blood sugar level, which is great for those on a low “carb” diet.\u00a0 While sunchoke chips were the biggest hit, the crispy kale was also well received.\u00a0 Raisins offer a delightfully sweet contrast.<\/p>\n

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Intermezzo – Frozen Blood Orange with a Quince Rim<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Intermezzo<\/strong><\/em>, an Italian term which means “a brief interlude or diversion” was next.\u00a0 Justin filled a heart-shaped shot glass with frozen blood orange.\u00a0 The shot glass had a quince rim, similar in principle but not taste to the salt on the rim of a margarita.\u00a0 Much as we may have wanted to slowly savor this refreshing palate cleanser, it was so good most of us downed it quickly.\u00a0 The quince rim was a nice tough.\u00a0 Unless cooked, quince can be very astringent, a quality which would not have been as greatly appreciated as the sweet, vanilla-like quince rim we licked off the glass.<\/p>\n

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Steamed Corn Stew<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Even the Tony Hillerman Portal<\/strong><\/a> contends that “fry bread is a result of Navajo contact with white settler colonial practices, specifically during their 1864 internment at Fort Sumner after their forced Long Walk from their traditional homelands near Canyon de Chelly, Arizona to the Bosque Redondo location of Fort Sumner in the Pecos River Valley in New Mexico<\/em>.”\u00a0 The untold history is much more bleak.\u00a0 Tia explained the tragic story of Navajos dying of gastric distress from consuming wheat flour to which the Din\u00e9 were not accustomed.\u00a0 Because the Navajo were not given pots and pans, they did not “invent” fry bread at the Bosque Redondo (but they would later on).\u00a0 They mixed flour with Pecos River water and consumed the resultant mixture, a sure invitation to dysentery or worse.<\/p>\n

Justin’s reinterpretation of fry bread was much more palatable.\u00a0 Most of us think of fry bread as a plate-sized disk of shortening, flour and salt fried in grease or oil.\u00a0 Instead of the stereotyped disk-shaped fry bread (which Health magazine ranks as one of the fifty most unhealthy foods in the country), we were presented a dense orb more reminiscent of a “donut hole” than fry bread.\u00a0 It didn’t taste like a donut hole.\u00a0 It tasted like maybe the best fry bread we’ve ever had as confirmed by oohs and aahs a plenty.\u00a0 Fry bread was one component of the Steamed Corn Stew<\/strong><\/em> (fry bread, lamb, smoked salt), maybe not even the best.\u00a0 My favorite was the lamb presented in smaller than bite-sized pieces.\u00a0 If you associate lamb with gaminess, you’ll be surprised at just how mellow and delicious it can be when prepared by a chef-genius.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Bread Course<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Tia’s culinary prowess was on display on the bread course<\/strong><\/em> (tortillas, blue corn, ramp butter, cilantro flour).\u00a0 She’s no slouch on the kitchen.\u00a0 Her tortillas reminded me of my sainted Grandma Andreita’s tortillas.\u00a0 Thicker and more dense than most tortillas, they just begged for butter and Tia provided among the best, most herbacious butter of my experience–a soft, easy-to-spread ramp butter.\u00a0 She described ramps as coming from the same family as onions and garlic, tasting very similar to a combination of the two.\u00a0 Also on the plate was a single blue corn muffin as thick, dense, moist and delicious as you can imagine.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Braised Beef Cheeks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The main course of the evening was braised beef cheeks<\/strong><\/em> (charred leeks, marinated roe, sorrel, huitlacoche).\u00a0 Beef cheeks are highly esteemed by high-end chefs (think Michelin-starred restaurants) for their robust flavor and unique texture.\u00a0 Rich and savory with a soft, mouthfeel, they’re so tender you can cut them with a spoon or fork.\u00a0 Beefy notes permeate their essence.\u00a0 Justin’s mastery of slow-cooking techniques brings out the very best qualities of braised beef cheeks.\u00a0 Few beef dishes have wowed me as much.\u00a0 Ever!\u00a0 Justin also managed to transform huitlacoche (corn smut) from its native mushroom-like texture to a liquefied gravy form.\u00a0 It enhanced the flavor of the beef cheeks even further. Huitlacoche is one of my favorite foods in the universe.\u00a0 Tobiko eggs (fish roe) delighted the Pioche aunts who’d never had anything like it.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Ube Ice Cream<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When it came time for the dessert course, some of us became melancholy in realizing the night would soon be over.\u00a0 To no surprise, the dessert course was also something with which few of us were acquainted, an ube ice cream<\/strong><\/em> (caramelized honey, coconut two ways, lime). Though often referred to as purple sweet potatoes, ube are yams with a dark, rough-looking skin. Ground into a powder, they are often used in Filipino desserts characterized by their bright purple color.\u00a0 Kudos to Justin for creating one of the most unique ice cream, one that captures the flavor essence of ube, a rich sweet taste with vanilla notes.\u00a0 Just as delightful as the ice cream was the caramelized honey, deep and rich in color and as intensely flavored as honey from a comb.<\/p>\n

When the event ended, no one was in a hurry to leave.\u00a0 Twelve people came together as strangers and left as friends.\u00a0 That’s the power of great food and a fabulous event orchestrated by a wonderful family.\u00a0 From experiential and culinary standpoints, this was a stand-out event, one which should be shared with people you love.<\/p>\n

Pioche Food Group<\/strong>
\nUpper Fruitland, New Mexico
\n(505) 258-2907<\/span>
\nWebsite<\/strong><\/a>| Facebook Page<\/strong><\/a>
\nLATEST VISIT<\/strong>: 11 September 2025
\n1st VISIT<\/strong>: 10 February 2023
\n# OF VISITS<\/strong>: 2
\nRATING<\/strong>: Exceptional<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0\u2013 Superior quality; above and beyond nearly all restaurants; harmonious blend of high-quality cuisine, impeccable service, and a curated atmosphere, characterized by consistency
\nCOST<\/strong>: $$$$$
\nBEST BET<\/strong>: LorAmy Event
\nREVIEW #1318<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As my friend and retired restaurateur Tom Hamilton and I watched the Pioche family prepare a meal for some twelve guests, we both marveled at the quiet efficiency of the kitchen.\u00a0 A veteran of decades leading highly-regarded kitchens, Tom related that most kitchens are a loud and frenetic hive of activity amped up to high volume.\u00a0 Communication among kitchen staff is an absolute must to ensure synchronicity, especially when multiple courses are being prepared.\u00a0 Instead of the characteristic chaotic din of most restaurant kitchens, the Pioche family worked in harmony, focusing on the quiet, efficient, and harmonious execution of the multitudinous tasks involved in the preparation of\u00a0 a nine-course meal. 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